First off, the ZC is JDM(most likely) or from Europe , so its not from an 88-91 Si in the US, it came in the CRX's in europe and Japan. and the B16 didn't come in a 88-91 Si-R. Second, this question has been asked a million times, so search or look around in the forums and you will find the answer. yes you can put the ZC in b/c the 86 Si is Fuel injected, it will basically mount up the same. The B16 will be a bitch to pit in b/c the space u have in a first gen crx is hella small. i had one and was gonna swap, but sold it instead. U can do it but it will be a tighter fit than the second gen.(88-91) and u will have to wire for VTEC with the B16. If u really want the B series go for it , and that would be a bad ass car, cuz 1st gen.'s only weigh like 1600-1700 lbs.

Originally posted by senate_9427@Aug 29 2003, 07:48 PM First off, the ZC is JDM(most likely) or from Europe , so its not from an 88-91 Si in the US, it came in the CRX's in europe and Japan. and the B16 didn't come in a 88-91 Si-R. Second, this question has been asked a million times, so search or look around in the forums and you will find the answer. yes you can put the ZC in b/c the 86 Si is Fuel injected, it will basically mount up the same. The B16 will be a bitch to pit in b/c the space u have in a first gen crx is hella small. i had one and was gonna swap, but sold it instead. U can do it but it will be a tighter fit than the second gen.(88-91) and u will have to wire for VTEC with the B16. If u really want the B series go for it , and that would be a bad ass car, cuz 1st gen.'s only weigh like 1600-1700 lbs.

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THANK YOU Sooooo much! This helps a lot b/c i got the car wicked cheap because the guy that was rebuilding the engine was building it up and restoring it. Half way threw he went to jail for a DUI. SO that's the back story of my beat 86 CRX. It doesn't run because it needs to be finished. I'm going to finish it and put the thing on a Dyno and see what it pushes out. But in the end it don't matter cause i'm getting a ZC or B16A sooner or later. Realisticly how much shit am i looking at if i have to wire it for VTEC? When you say it's "hella small" you mean it will be a tight fit but it will fit. Right?

I never swapped something into my first gen. Like u i got it for cheap ($200) b/c it didn't run. I replaced the head to get it running and was gonna swap something but didn't have the $$$, so i sold it. I talked to some guys down at the local shop and they told me a bunch of shit and said that the ZC would be best for it. that was about the only useful info they gave me b/c they were fuckin ricers and didnt know anyhting. But i also had a 2nd gen and the engine bay was a little bigger. basically a b16 in a 2nd gen is a tight fit, you can't run a/c, and u gotta smash in the frame to fit it. So logically the B16 in a first gen will be harder. About the VTEC i'm not really sure because i've never messed with it. Bascally from what i understand you just need something to engage the VTEC, which i think is already in the B16 ECU, maybe I'm wrong, otherwise you would need a VTEC controller. You might want some advice from one of the other guys on here though about the VTEC. my knowledge is limited to what i've learned on here so far. Hope that helps. Oh yeah, How much have you researched these motors?

the 88-91 ZC (black valve cover) will not work in the 1st gen CRX - the mounts won't fit and the 88-91 uses the L3 transmission which also will not fit - what you need is the 86-87 ZC (brown valve cover) and you will need 86-89 Integra transmission, axles, knuckles/hubs and complete shift linkage - you will need to use the CRX mounts on the rear cross-member and on the front (timing belt end) and the Integra mount on the transmission - don't use the CRX mount on the transmission, as it will make the engine sit crooked - use the 86-87 Integra ECU and distributor (if your ZC doesn't come with distributor)

Originally posted by jlicrx@Aug 29 2003, 10:38 PM the 88-91 ZC (black valve cover) will not work in the 1st gen CRX - the mounts won't fit and the 88-91 uses the L3 transmission which also will not fit - what you need is the 86-87 ZC (brown valve cover) and you will need 86-89 Integra transmission, axles, knuckles/hubs and complete shift linkage - you will need to use the CRX mounts on the rear cross-member and on the front (timing belt end) and the Integra mount on the transmission - don't use the CRX mount on the transmission, as it will make the engine sit crooked - use the 86-87 Integra ECU and distributor (if your ZC doesn't come with distributor)

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So, basicly a B16A is out of the qustion? As for the ZC, as luck would have it my friend has a 89 Integra that he is going to junk b/c he is to lazy to get new tires, new batery, and fix the back window. So, i can't drop just any ZC engine into the CRX, it has to be the one that was made for that year. Why does it need the Integra tranny junk exactly?

Yes u can drop in your friends ZC, but it wont be anything special. i have a friend that has a b16a in a 87 CRX Si, the car flyies, runs low 14's with i/h/e, he spend a lil more to do the swap, and had a few problems but its halarious to see the look on peoples faces when it spanks their car. b16a is well worth the extra $$ and time in a 1st gen, i say go for it, you wont be upset if u do.

Getting an idea for my car. I could grab a !st gen CRX, do the B16. Then i would have an ugly ass car no one would want to break into. Hey i was told that the 1st gen was about 400 lbs lighter than 2nd gen, sounds like a little toomuch of a difference, is it true?

Hey Sleeper, how much did ur friend spend on the swap?? did he do it himself, or did a shop do it?

Originally posted by senate_9427@Aug 31 2003, 01:11 AM Getting an idea for my car. I could grab a !st gen CRX, do the B16. Then i would have an ugly ass car no one would want to break into. Hey i was told that the 1st gen was about 400 lbs lighter than 2nd gen, sounds like a little toomuch of a difference, is it true?

Hey Sleeper, how much did ur friend spend on the swap?? did he do it himself, or did a shop do it?

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When you said "Then i would have an ugly ass car no one would want to break into." did you mean that in a good way or a bad way?

In a good way. what i meant was that no one would want to break into it cuz it looks hella old. Every fuckin theif knows what a damn CRX is and they also know how easy it is to break in em, but they usually only break in the 2nd gen. Hey has anyone ever seen one of those Mugen kits on a 1st gen?? I think thats the only kit u can get for a 1st gen and i never seen one.